What's New in Kerala

The Kerala Cabinet approved the annual Plan of the State for 2014-15 with total outlay of Rs.20,000 crore .

The outlay is 17.65 per cent higher than current year’s Plan size of Rs.17,000 crore. Higher share is earmarked for Scheduled Tribes Development and major infrastructural projects.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the media after the Cabinet meeting that about three per cent of the Plan was earmarked for Scheduled Tribes — up from 2.3 per cent in the current year. The amount would come to about Rs.600 crore against about Rs.350 crore this year.

The Chief Minister said that the Plan proposed 50 per cent increase in allocation for large-scale infrastructure projects (Rs.1,125 crore against about Rs.846 crore this year.).

The major projects for which investment is proposed next year include Vizhinjam International Transhipment Terminal, Kochi Metro Rail Project, Kannur Airport Project, monorail projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and suburban rail corridor project.

Mr. Chandy said that Rs.413.76 crore was set apart for special area development, including those for hill and coastal areas and Kasaragod district.